Performance Analysis of the Lamp Rayleigh/Raman Lidar System
Document ID: 95
Master's Thesis
The Pennsylvania State University
The Graduate School
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract
A performance analysis of a two color Rayleigh/Raman lidar system, LAMP (Laser Atmospheric Measurement Program), has been characterized and will be presented. LAMP was constructed at The Pennsylvania State University during the summer of 1991, and was developed to measure temperature and density from the ground to 80 km, and to measure the concentrations of nitrogen (N2) and water vapor (H2O) from the ground to 35 km and 5 km, respectively. Expected photon returns from the several channels of the LAMP system were calculated using the lidar equation. Each term of the lidar equation has been critically analyzed for its effect on the transmitted and returning signal. The transmission and number density of the atmosphere were simulated using the LOWTRAN 7 and U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976 models. Optical efficiencies for the near and far fields of the LAMP receiver, a classical Cassegrain telescope, have been calculated using a computer simulated model. Optical efficiencies for the transmitter, receiver, and detector have also been measured. Data from the LADIMAS (LAtitudinal Distribution of Middle Atmospheric Structure) campaign, measured between September 1991 and January 1992, are presented to support the performance analysis and to describe the photon losses in the troposphere and lower stratosphere. The performance analysis serves as a first order approximation to the LAMP operating characteristics, and shows the areas where emphasis must be placed to develop a more useful model and an improved instrument.
| Citation: | P. A. T. Haris, "Performance Analysis of the Lamp Rayleigh/Raman Lidar System", The Pennsylvania State University, Master's Thesis, August 1992, 92 pages |